Iraqi officials say that most of the casualties were women and children, many were also injured in the panic caused by the attack, and the death toll is expected to rise further. The attack follows up two days of strikes against Shi’ite targets in both Baghdad and Karbala.

When the final tolls are in, this may wind up being the deadliest attack in Iraq so far in 2009. An attack in early January, also a female suicide bomber attacking pilgrims flocking to Karbala, killed 40 and wounded at least 72 others. Sunni militants appear to be trying to rekindle the sectarian strife which has displaced millions since the US invasion.